MB&F LM1 EVO: the return of an icon, fifteen years after the birth of the Legacy Machines

In 2011, MB&F opened a new chapter in its history with the Legacy Machine N°1. This singular creation, which reinterpreted the codes of traditional watchmaking through a spectacular three-dimensional architecture, would give rise to one of the most emblematic families of the independent Geneva house. Fifteen years later, the LM1 returns in a contemporary interpretation: the LM1 EVO. True to the spirit of the original, this new version refines its proportions, extends its autonomy and adopts the technical attributes of the EVO collection to keep pace with a more active daily life.

The LM1, a different vision of watchmaking heritage

When MB&F unveiled the Legacy Machine N°1 in 2011, the brand surprised everyone with its approach. Having explored the boldest shapes and mechanical architectures with its first Horological Machines, Max Büsser and his collaborators offered a different reading of their universe: a round watch, inspired by the great master watchmakers of the 19th century, yet with a three-dimensional construction bearing an instantly recognisable signature.

The LM1 does not try to reproduce the past. It reinterprets its codes to give them a new expression. Above the movement, a spectacular balance wheel seems suspended in space, while two separate dials each display their own time. This original architecture, developed with watchmaker Jean-François Mojon and master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, was quickly acclaimed by the industry and by collectors.

In 2012, the LM1 won both the Public Prize and the Best Men’s Watch Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. This double recognition crowned a founding creation in the history of MB&F and launched a new family of Machines, the Legacy Machines.

Today the LM1 EVO takes up this now iconic architecture. But this revival is more than an exercise in nostalgia. It reflects the desire to evolve a major piece without altering its identity.

Two truly independent time zones

What sets the LM1 apart is the way it displays time. Two dials, placed on either side of the central balance, show the hours and minutes of two independent time zones. This configuration differs from a conventional GMT function: each display can be set separately, without depending on the other.

This independence makes it possible to handle the 30 or 45 minute time offsets common in some parts of the world. It also offers extra freedom of use: one dial can be used to time a duration while the other keeps showing the current time.

On the LM1 EVO, the ergonomics retain the symmetry that already defined the original model. The crown at 4 o’clock handles manual winding and setting of the right-hand display. The one at 8 o’clock sets the second time zone, shown on the left.

Behind this seemingly simple reading lies sophisticated mechanics, designed to give both indications genuine independence. The watch does not merely place two dials side by side: it offers two autonomous readings of time, serving a use that is as singular as it is functional.

A 60-hour power reserve

The most immediately visible change is at 6 o’clock. On the original LM1, the power reserve indicator stood out for its sophisticated, almost sculptural vertical construction. The LM1 EVO adopts a different presentation, with an inclined sector that blends more naturally into the overall composition and makes the remaining autonomy easier to read.

This aesthetic change comes with a significant mechanical improvement. The power reserve rises from 45 to 60 hours. The movement remains hand-wound, preserving the direct bond between owner and mechanism, but the interval between two windings is longer.

The gesture keeps its full horological meaning: transmitting the energy the watch needs to run, feeling the mainspring tighten and taking part, in one’s own way, in the life of the timepiece. With this extended autonomy, the LM1 EVO is simply easier to live with every day.

A 14 mm balance at the heart of the show

The centrepiece of the LM1 remains intact: its huge 14 mm balance wheel, mounted on the dial side and held aloft by a dedicated titanium bridge. Suspended above the movement, it seems to float in space, turning an essential function of the watch into a true mechanical spectacle.

This regulating organ oscillates at 2.5 Hz, or 18,000 vibrations per hour. For the LM1 EVO editions, it is paired with a Straumann® double hairspring, made of two identical hairsprings oscillating in opposite directions.

This architecture, particularly rare in watchmaking, aims to neutralise shifts in the centres of gravity and reduce lateral friction on the balance staff. It thus helps improve the regulator’s behaviour in different positions and its isochronism.

MB&F’s approach stays true to one of its founding principles: making visible what traditional watchmaking often hides. Here, the heart of precision is not relegated to the back of the movement. It rises above the mainplate, on full display, in a staging where mechanics become an aesthetic expression in their own right.

A hand-finished movement

The LM1 EVO calibre comprises 270 components and 25 jewels. Developed in-house by MB&F with Jean-François Mojon, it features an aesthetic designed with Kari Voutilainen, whose influence shows in the care given to the finishing and in the openly assumed reference to the great watchmaking traditions of the 19th century.

Gold chatons with polished bevels, hand-bevelled edges, inward angles, Côtes de Genève and hand engraving all reflect this pursuit of artisanal excellence. The bridges receive a black NAC treatment, which gives the whole a more contemporary feel.

This blend of tradition and modernity sums up the spirit of the Legacy Machines. The codes of classical watchmaking are called upon, not to reproduce a bygone era, but to highlight the craftsmanship and intrinsic beauty of mechanics. The three-dimensional construction lets you observe the various components from unusual angles, making the watch an object of contemplation as much as an instrument for measuring time.

The EVO spirit: a mechanical watch designed for an active life

With the LM1 EVO, MB&F applies to its first Legacy Machine the solutions developed to make the creations of the EVO collection better suited to everyday wear.

The case shrinks from 44 to 42 mm in diameter. This reduction, combined with an ergonomic construction, reshapes the proportions without sacrificing the watch’s visual presence. It is 16.8 mm thick, with a lug-to-lug distance of 52 mm.

Shock protection relies in particular on the FlexRing system, a patented annular damper placed between the case and the movement. It gives the mechanism extra protection against external stresses.

Another major change: water resistance now reaches 80 metres, thanks in particular to the screw-down crowns. The highly domed sapphire crystal on the front offers a clear view of the raised displays, enhanced with Super-LumiNova. On the back, a “glass box” sapphire crystal also lets you admire the movement.

The grey or black rubber straps add to this sportier direction. Their quick-change system, built into the case and the clasp, makes swapping them easy and lets the watch adapt to different situations.

The LM1 EVO therefore gives up neither its spectacular architecture nor its horological identity. It places them in a construction designed to better follow the movements and demands of contemporary life.

Two interpretations for 2026

At launch, the LM1 EVO comes in two versions, each with its own distinct personality.

The first pairs a grade 5 titanium case with a rhodium-plated dial plate. The result favours a bright, technical look. The two black dials, punctuated by blue hands, stand out sharply against their silvery surroundings, while the movement’s contemporary finishes reinforce the mechanical character of the piece.

The second interpretation features a 5N+ red gold case paired with a dark green dial plate. The black dials create a strong contrast with this deep backdrop, while touches of red gold visually extend the warmth of the case. This version is limited to 33 pieces.

Two different aesthetic expressions, but one shared architecture: that of a watch which puts the balance wheel in the foreground and grants its two time zones a rare independence.

The Legacy Machine N°1 enters a new era

Fifteen years after its debut, the LM1 remains a defining piece in the history of MB&F. It allowed the house to explore another way of engaging with watchmaking tradition, making classical heritage the starting point for a resolutely contemporary construction.

The LM1 EVO continues this approach with a measured but substantial evolution: a more compact case, a power reserve raised to 60 hours, stronger shock protection, 80 metres of water resistance and interchangeable straps. All improvements that broaden its uses without altering what made the model unique.

The 14 mm balance still dominates the stage, the two time zones remain fully independent and the hand finishing reflects the same artisanal standards. The LM1 EVO does not try to reinvent the Legacy Machine N°1. It continues its story, adapting a founding creation to new uses.

At MB&F, looking back is never simply a step backwards. It becomes a way of moving the present forward and imagining what comes next.

Technical specifications, MB&F LM1 EVO

Collection	Legacy Machines
Editions	grade 5 titanium with rhodium-plated dial plate; 5N+ red gold with dark green dial plate, limited to 33 pieces
Movement	three-dimensional calibre developed by MB&F with Jean-François Mojon; aesthetics and finishing designed with Kari Voutilainen
Winding	manual, single barrel
Power reserve	60 hours
Frequency	18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz)
Regulator	14 mm balance with Straumann® double hairspring
Components	270
Jewels	25
Functions	two independent time zones with hours and minutes; inclined power reserve indicator
Case	grade 5 titanium or 5N+ red gold
Dimensions	42 mm diameter; 16.8 mm thick; 52 mm lug to lug; 18 mm between lugs
Protection	FlexRing shock absorption system
Crystals	highly domed sapphire on the front and “glass box” sapphire on the back, both anti-reflective on both sides
Water resistance	80 metres (8 ATM)
Crowns	screw-down
Straps	grey or black rubber, interchangeable, with titanium folding buckle

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